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Close calls go other way for Batavia baseball

Batavia's Steven Busby is tagged out at home plate by South Elgin pitcher Max Keough after a passed ball in the fourth inning of Saturday's Class 4A Schaumburg Sectional final. The Bulldogs trailed, 5-3, at the time and lost, 8-3.

SCHAUMBURG- Baseball, like all sports, is typically referred to as a “game of inches,” and inches certainly were the difference in South Elgin’s 8-3 victory against Batavia in Saturday's Class 4A Schaumburg Sectional championship game.

All afternoon, both teams coped with inconsistent strike zones and shared close calls at the plate, yet Bulldogs starting pitcher Colby Green had none of it.

“You can’t blame it on the umpires … [sometimes] there is nothing you can do about it,” he said.

Green had a no-hitter in his last outing against South Elgin; however, the tides were turned Saturday as the Storm’s offense tagged Green with five runs over 2 2/3 innings of work.

In the fourth inning, Batavia was threatening with the bases loaded, when a passed ball got by South Elgin catcher Nate Brummel. Pinch runner Steven Busby dashed home and appeared to just beat the tag, but was called out.

“I mean, it’s baseball. It’s just one of those days. The ball takes a couple of bounces our way, and maybe it’s a different story,” Batavia third baseman Micah Coffey said.

Laren Eustace walked to load the bases after the play at the plate, but Jeremy Schoessling struck out to end the threat. Despite how the game turned out, Batavia coach Matt Holm was proud of his team, calling the season “fantastic.”

“That’s an excellent team we [beat today]. I mean, [Batavia] doesn’t have their record for nothing…with us learning how to fight back and persevere, [it shows] there is no quit in our team,” South Elgin coach Jim Kating said.

South Elgin advanced to play Evanston in a supersectional Monday after securing the school's first sectional crown.

“I think we can win the state championship,” Storm right-hander Max Keough said.

While Batavia is done for the season, an emotional Green will remember his team forever.

“Every one of these guys are my brothers," Green said. "I’m going to miss them a lot."